Police use water cannon to disperse health care workers protesting for better working conditions
Record ID:
1561306
Police use water cannon to disperse health care workers protesting for better working conditions
- Title: Police use water cannon to disperse health care workers protesting for better working conditions
- Date: 8th July 2020
- Summary: LIMA, PERU (JULY 8, 2020) (REUTERS) PERUVIAN POLICE OFFICERS GRAPPLING WITH HEALTH WORKERS POLICE FIRING WATER CANNON AT HEALTH WORKERS PROTESTING FOR BETTER WORKING CONDITIONS HEALTH WORKERS PROTESTING VARIOUS OF POLICE FIRING WATER CANNON AND HEALTH WORKERS RUNNING VARIOUS OF NURSES HOLDING SIGNS AND PROTESTING OUTSIDE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) NURSE, LOURDES CASTILLO, SAYING: "We are tired after more than 100 days of continuous work with the patients. We found out that the COVID-19 bonus (extraordinary bonus for health workers) arrived 15 days ago and they have only given it to a group of doctors, that has outraged us. This is an outrage to us who are also victims of the disease. We bought many of our protective equipment." NURSES PROTESTING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) NURSE, MIRIAM ANCHANTE, SAYING: "There are many colleagues who have become ill and there is no special monitoring of their cases. The families of these nurses have also fallen ill, there are deaths and we have no one to worry about this situation. There is no protective equipment, no food vouchers, no transportation for medical staff."
- Embargoed: 22nd July 2020 18:51
- Keywords: Peru clashes health workers protest water cannon
- Location: LIMA & HUANUCO, PERU
- City: LIMA & HUANUCO, PERU
- Country: Peru
- Reuters ID: LVA001CLYAMVB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Peruvian police used a water cannon on Wednesday (July 8) to disperse health workers protesting in Lima to demand better working conditions amid the pandemic.
Police officers, dressed in riot gear, pushed back protesters protesting outside the Peruvian Economy Ministry demanding payment of a special bonus for health workers.
A group of nurses also protested outside the Children's Hospital in Lima demanding better quality of PPE (personal protective equipment).
Meanwhile in Huanuco, located 371 kilometres (230 miles) from Lima, one of the cities hardest hit by the coronavirus, local authorities reported more than 4,000 cases with its health care system collapsing due to an oxygen tank shortage.
Peru has one of the highest rates of coronavirus infections in South America. The country currently ranks #5 in the world for COVID-19 cases behind Russia and India.
So far Peru has reported 309,278 COVID-19 cases and 10,952 deaths by the novel coronavirus.
(Production: Carlos Valdez, Liamar Ramos) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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